String mounted barrier valves are made up with a string when the string is run into a subterranean location. If the valve is hydraulically operated such as with one or more control lines, the control lines are made up and run outside the tubular string until the valve is at its proper location. Barrier valves isolate one part of the wellbore from another against flow in either direction. One type of such hydraulically actuated barrier valve that is run in as part of a string is illustrated in US Publication 20080110632. Insert safety valves can be run into a string and latch into a landing nipple with dogs that extend for support off the existing safety valve where the insert valve runs off a control system of the initial safety valve as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,865. U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,044 illustrates an annular chamber in a safety valve in a string that is penetrated by a penetrating tool and an insert safety valve is run into the string mounted safety valve and pressure in the penetrated annular chamber communicates to the insert safety valve to subsequently operate it.
There are applications where barrier valves are not initially needed and could be needed in the future. It is economical in these situations for the well operator to delay the purchase of such expensive items as barrier valves until the time they are actually needed downhole. The present invention allows such flexibility by providing a valve that can be run into a predetermined location or locations and latched into position. These locations are landing nipples that have been put into the string initially at desired locations. Preferably they have unique patterns for a valve latching system to engage only on a desired landing nipple that matches the profile of the latch mechanism that mates with it and is mounted on the barrier valve that is preferably run into the wellbore on wireline. In the case of a hydraulically operated barrier valve, the landing nipple or nipples in the string will already have control lines initially installed with the string in a landing nipple or nipples. The barrier valve hydraulic connections are lined up and in a sealing relation to the control line connections in the landing nipple so that the barrier valve can latch in and immediately be operated hydraulically with the control lines. Alternatively, a wireline tool can be run in to open communication to the landing nipple before the barrier valve is run in. These and other aspect of the present invention will be more readily appreciated by those skilled in the art from a review of the attached specification and drawings while appreciating that the full scope of the invention is determined by the appended claims.